Saturday Night's Mighty Fine For Worship

Psalms 102:18-22

This will be written for the generation to come. That a people yet to be created, may praise the LORD. For He looked down from His holy height; From heaven the LORD gazed upon the earth, to hear the groaning of the prisoner....
To set free those who were doomed to death.....

That men may tell of the name of the LORD in Zion, and His praise in Jerusalem, When the peoples are gathered together, and the kingdoms to serve the LORD.

Every Saturday night, we gather out at Rapha for a meeting. I guess you could call it a service or a gathering...it probably isn't important as to how you label it. The important thing is the "WHY" of our gathering.

Ever since I started in full time ministry, I have had a desire to introduce people to this Jesus that has changed my life. I wanted to provide a time and place where we could hear what He had to say through the teaching of his word. A place where we could see the power and awesomeness as His Holy Spirit would come and touch folks. I wanted people to understand Jesus in a way that was free from religious trappings and concepts. Have I been successful at this? Sometimes. Sometimes I find myself creating my own version of  those religious trappings. What do I mean by "religious trappings"? Well, you know that people in church usually talk different. They use words and phrases that someone who had never been to church might not understand. I wanted our meetings to have a language and explanation of who this Jesus is, that anyone coming in off the street could grasp what we were saying.

In other words, I wanted to make a safe place where people could let down their guard and hear the word of God.

I wanted our music and worship to reflect who we truly are. If you were to come to any of our meetings, you'd find our style of worship is kind of different. I call it a mix between Road-house blues and early rock...with some good ol' fashion hymns thrown in for good measure. Most of the people God brings to our meetings have not spent much time in church, so the music draws them and prepares them to hear the word that is taught.

In the verses written above is the phrase...."That a people yet to be created may praise the Lord!"

If you go to I Peter 2:10, you'll read: For you once were not a people, but now you are the people of God.......You see, to me the verse says that we are to be about our Father's business of bringing those who do not know Jesus, into the the realm and place of being birthed in him. In other words, it's all about salvation. Moving from "You once were not" into the place of "But now you are." That is why we do what we do on Saturday night.

The funny part in all of this, is that I have truly found out that I cannot save anyone, no matter how bad I want them to be saved. All I can do is be obedient and open the door on Saturday...set up the chairs....prepare myself to share what God has shown me and then get out of the way and let Him work.

The greatest thing I have seen over the past 15 years, is when an individual comes to me to lay down some rules...."I don't want to hear about God....Don't you dare try to force this "JESUS" stuff on me...I will not have a part in it and you can't make me!" To which I reply.....o.k.

I have seen it time after time. Yet, I have seen God's Spirit fall upon that same individual and break them down like a cheap shotgun. To witness this is a pretty incredible thing. To see God destroy every argument this person has put out there in an effort to stay away from God......then to see the love of God and the presence of God come upon this same individual during a meeting.......it is the best in the world. That is why we do what we do on Saturday night.

The most amazing part is that God allows me to see all of this....to see Him work in the hearts of men who the world has long given up on. I am grateful beyond belief. I have made the comment on several occasions, and I do so here today in this posting...But I want you to know that it isn't about me but the mercy and grace of God. God has allowed me to see over the past 15 years, more than some folks see in a lifetime, how his heart is for the lost. For that privilege, I am grateful. I pray that He gives me 15 more!

Thanks for letting me share today....
God on you....

mb